In the great outdoors, every rustle of leaves and every footprint holds a story. For hikers in Maine, this is especially true. While many of us make quite a bit of noise on the trails, from crunching leaves to talking to our dogs, the quiet observers are the animals themselves. Their signs, from tracks to scat, offer a window into the wilderness, revealing the creatures that call it home. But what makes these signs so fascinating, and how can we, as hikers, better appreciate them?
One of the most well-known signs of wildlife is tracks. In the winter, snow provides a pristine canvas for animals to leave their marks, each footprint telling a story of movement and survival. During other seasons, mud preserves these tracks for days, whether on riverbanks or in soggy forest sections. As a registered Maine guide, I learned the tracks of many common animals, from turkeys with their distinctive patterns to chipmunks, squirrels, and weasels, which are often difficult to tell apart.
Many signs relate to the animals' constant quest for food. For instance, the pileated woodpecker hunts for insects by drilling rectangular holes in tree trunks. So, a fresh cavity oozing sap means you're in the right place to spot Maine's largest woodpecker. Porcupines and beavers also leave behind obvious evidence of their dietary habits. Both rodents strip bark off trees, leaving behind distinctive teeth marks. Beavers, in particular, chew straight through trees, causing them to topple over, which they use to construct dams and lodges. I've seen some truly massive trees felled by beavers, a sight that never fails to amaze.
Porcupines, in particular, are a concern for my canine hiking companion. Even though she is always on leash during hikes, I worry about turning the corner and running into one of these spiky creatures. They are abundant throughout Maine, and their signs are everywhere along trails. In addition to gnawing bark off trees, they litter the ground with broken evergreen branches in their quest for cones and needles. They also leave pellets of poop that remind me of baked beans.
Animal poop, or scat, is another great way to tell what's living near a trail. While some scat is challenging to identify, other types are unique. Maine's famous moose, for example, creates large piles of ball-shaped droppings that are similar to a deer's but much larger. Snowshoe hares poop in neat, small, round pellets — scattered, not in a pile. And during blueberry season, black bears often produce poop that looks remarkably like the filling of a blueberry pie.
Scat can also tell you what animals are eating, if you dare to take a close look. For example, I found a pile of bear poop near my house this spring, and it was filled with birdseed. It made sense. Bears are known for raiding bird feeders, especially when natural sources of food are scarce early in the year. Animal signs change throughout the year. For example, in the spring, a nest filled with eggs can tell you that a certain bird is nearby. While in the fall, you can find the fresh marks where deer have rubbed trees with their antlers.
While some may prefer to rush along the trails, overlooking the evidence left by animals, I find myself eager to know what might be hiding in the underbrush, just out of sight. These signs, from tracks to scat, are like words in a book, telling a story about the creatures that live there. They offer a deeper understanding of the wilderness and the animals that inhabit it. So, the next time you're out on the trails, take a moment to look for these signs. You never know what story they might reveal.
